


Roots and Branches

by BearHatter



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Family History, Gen, Grzegorz, Hehehe, I still don't know how to pronounce it, Names, Sheriff's name is John forever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 05:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2012676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearHatter/pseuds/BearHatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why Sheriff Stilinski named his son the way he did, and why it matters and doesn't matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roots and Branches

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, I said I wouldn't do it, but I totally got sucked into Teen Wolf. And, of course, instead of writing the kind of relationshippy stuff I most often read and enjoy... write a thoughtful character study drabble. Sorry...? This is me shaking my head (and my fist?) at the fickle writing muses, and admitting I like them anyway. I always wondered about this, and now I've built my own reasons, and built them close to my heart at that.

            John’s Father’s name was Alojzy. It took him a long time to say it (not that it mattered, when he just called him Dad, or sometimes, when his Babcia was over, Tata, until he got old enough to become way too embarrassed). And man, those were the old days, weren’t they?

            His Grandma’s name was Jadwiga, she was Babcia Jagwiga and when he was old enough to talk she patiently went over all the tricky syllables over and over, and told him proudly and also like a secret that her name and his Dad’s name both meant warrior.

            He was named John, partly for his Mom’s Dad, who died when he was a baby, and partly because his Dad… his Dad wanted to embrace normality, _American_ normality. He could hear his Babcia and his Dad argue about it sometimes, when his Dad got annoyed about all the nostalgic talk of the Ojczyzna, the Homeland, like it was always going to be better than were they are _now_ , _Matka, we are in a good place, and gilding the past does not make the present look any brighter, even though it is, and I want my son to know that._

            John _does_ know that. And he does love America, and he wonders if his father knows that his Babcia’s stories, they don’t skew his national loyalty or make him long for a land he’d never been to. If anything, they make him feel more strongly that _this_ is his homeland,  and _this_ is the way he should feel about it.

            But it’s true, it’s true that his Babcia’s stories about his family, his history, also teach him about what’s in his blood, and he thinks that’s important too. It gives him a sense of place in history, and more important, gives him a sense that he’s not…generic. He never wanted to just be normal, to fit into American society to the point of invisibility, he never understood the deep down need of his father to be _the same_.

            So when he holds his son for the first time he whispers Grzegorz in his ear, and is so so grateful for his beautiful tired wife who has made his Babcia’s placki and poppyseed cake for him, and gazpacho and paella for her and it’s all very delicious. Grzegorz means watchful, vigilant, and it’s not quite warrior but it’s close enough for John’s liking, who wouldn’t really want this tiny person to have to fight anyone ever. He knows he’ll have to keep repeating it for little Grzegorz to actually know his name, to be able to pronounce it, slow and patient, just like his Babcia.

            Of course, his wild, creative, intelligent son who never does what’s expected, never does what’s easy, ends up giving up on ever hoping to explain it to other people, and starts calling himself Stiles from the age of 7. But really, that’s alright with John. Really. Because it was never about forcing him into a heritage, just about teaching him he can stand out, that he can be unique and still connected to something.

            And maybe, he thinks about sometimes, this is Stiles’ way of gilding the future, not the past. The spirit of invention and creativity and independence that gets him into trouble, gives John hell as much as it gives him hope. And his name is still connected, comes right from his family name for heaven’s sake, and if that’s not a statement of his ultimate allegiance John doesn’t know what is, and takes it for the love it means.

            One thing is sure and certain: he’ll never have to worry about Stiles being invisible. And if Stiles becomes more of a warrior than he’d like…

            He takes comfort in the fact that his Babcia would be proud, tell stories of his great-great-grandfather building Poland from the ashes of WWI, and tries to be his watchman, vigilant as he can be.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback always appreciated!


End file.
